Vimpat and Hair Loss: What Users Say

• Lau...
• November 23, 2011

For Seizures "I have partial complex seizures, and Vimpat has helped me not to go completely unconscious. I still experience auras, but I no longer have the full-blown seizures where I lose memory. It's strange that I don't have the intense seizures, but I do have more frequent auras. I'm unsure which is worse. It's safer for me not to experience the actual seizure, but having more auras during the day is also frightening. Additionally, it feels like my memory is deteriorating, and I struggle to articulate my thoughts. I often can't recall the word I intend to say, and my hair has become dry and I've experienced significant hair loss. I'm uncertain if Vimpat is worth all these side effects or not!"

• jct...
• February 23, 2012

For Seizures "It really helped my seizures, but did not control them completely. I did not have any dizziness, but after being on it for a year and a half, I have really started to notice some things. My hair is falling out terribly bad. Not just on my head, but eyebrows and legs too. I have terrible itching and rashes on my arms and legs. This whole time, I figured the memory problems were from the unsuccessful surgery, but now I think it is the Vimpat. It worked better than the other 10 medicines I tried before it, but the side effects are now bad enough that I need to change. The memory problems are terrible and not worth it if it does not control the seizures."

• Los...
• February 8, 2013

For Seizures "I will be 50 next week, so the hair loss may be due to menopause, although I am having no other signs of this (still have regular cycles, no hot flashes, etc.). This came on so quickly; as soon as I started taking Vimpat, I feel there may be a connection. I started 400 mg in November and had terrible insomnia and tremors, so I was cut back to 300. I did not have a reduction in the number of seizures (4 partial a month), but the severity has reduced greatly. However, my hair is falling out at an unbelievable pace. I am so happy for the reduction in seizure severity that I will buy a wig if needed. I just wanted to mention this for anyone else who may be facing this, as it is not a listed side effect. Also, I experienced an 8 lb weight loss and am still a bit anxious."

• Van...
• April 9, 2014

For Seizures "I have been on Vimpat for 2 months for seizures, and at first, it seemed like it was great because my seizures went almost completely away for the first 3 weeks. However, then it seemed like they were coming back, but not as bad, so I just increased it to 100 mg twice a day. It seems to be working pretty well so far. The problem I'm having with it is that my hair is falling out terribly, and I can't remember anything! It's crazy! Just simple stuff that I know just slips my mind. It's very aggravating, but I would rather not have seizures."

• Cor...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 18, 2014

For Seizures "I had been on Keppra and Vimpat 100 mg twice a day, and it controlled my seizures well for about a year. I then started having seizures. Then the doctors increased the dosage to 175 mg twice a day and Keppra EX 1500 mg at bedtime. I became like a zombie, dizzy, fell twice, and bruised my head. I attributed the symptoms to an overdose of Vimpat at one time. I started cutting the Vimpat pills 175 mg in half and spacing them six hours apart, and now I am active, no dizziness, no falling. So far, I have not had my hair fall out as others have reported. I called the doctors to tell him the above, but he's on vacation. I can't find anything on cutting the pills and spreading the dosage as I have done."

• unk...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 3, 2013

For Seizures "I drank all kinds of medications like Trileptal and Lamictal. Now I am on 3000 mg of Keppra and still had seizures, but my doctor said, "Don't do surgery, I will give you Vimpat." Ten percent out of 100 people took this, and it helped. He was right, I still had episodes even with 200 mg of Vimpat, but it simply went away for about six months now. It does give you loss of hair and feeling depressed, but also an important thing to do is watch what you eat."

• Kys...
• January 16, 2014

For Seizures "This has been the better of the 10 others we have been on with our young son. I will say that he has recently developed leg and lower back pain, along with more frequent migraines, hair loss, and a horrible rash on arms and legs. Also, some weight and memory loss, along with some crying fits. But like I said, sadly this was the least side effects of all the ones we have been on. Topamax was the worst, it trashed his insides and turned my sweet child into a crying, crazy, cursing lunatic! Would love to know if anyone has had luck with less side effects on any other anti-epileptic meds. He goes several weeks so far without any seizures on Vimpat so far."

• Nes...
• January 16, 2016

For Seizures "After the birth of my daughter, my epilepsy came back full force. Just like it did when I was 15 years old in high school. I was extremely upset since my daughter was barely a month old, and I was trying to figure out how to stay seizure-free again. I started with Keppra 500 mg. Then needed to raise it to 750 mg for a year, it was twice a day. Stress was a big factor that would set my seizures to join my life again. I started having seizures at work and ended up on Keppra 1000 mg twice a day. Still could not get the seizures to stop. I weaned off the Keppra and went to Vimpat 100 mg twice a day. So much better, but I feel like I am not all the way recovered after all I went through. Did have weight gain and hair loss, but way better than Keppra for me."

• jes...
• January 13, 2014

For Seizures "I have had grand mal seizures since the age of 15. Around 32, I started having partial seizures only I didn't know that's what they were till I read a pamphlet in my doctor's office. They put me on Vimpat, which at first did not help with the dizziness I was already feeling from the partial seizures, but after about a year now, the dizziness has definitely slowed and I only have partial seizures when I'm overly overwhelmed or stressed. It doesn't help with my grand mal seizures, which I have at least 1-2 every month. I have noticed weight gain and memory loss, which I had before the medication, and hair loss and tingling in my limbs, but if I drink more water, it helps with the tingling. As for the hair loss, I take biotin, and that has helped."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 14, 2017

For Seizures "It was a great drug, has stopped my seizures for 5 years. But the problem is I think I am very allergic to the medication. I started having side effects that I noticed about a year after starting Vimpat. Extreme hair loss to where it was just falling out in the shower, my hair has thinned so much. Itching all over my body: scalp, legs, arms. Ringing in my ears. Little bumps all over my body. I have gone to a dermatologist, but he says it's dermatitis. I have never had that until Vimpat. The newest thing in the last 2 years: severe cystic acne on my face. I have never had acne, maybe a bump or 2 as a teenager. 2 years ago, at 36, I started getting painful cystic acne, this is also because of Vimpat. And last of all, weight gain. I am 38."

• tut...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 4, 2014

For Seizures "I was on a Depakote, Tegretol, and Topiramate cocktail of 12 pills a day. I was not controlled. I even had the VNS implanted in my chest. I switched doctors, and he placed me on Vimpat and Topiramate. Not only am I seizure-free, but I lost 10 lbs. to boot. However, not all good news; hair falling out and tingling in my hands and feet, but I am only on 6 pills a day now."

• Kat...
• May 6, 2015

For Seizures "Awful drug. My hair thinned by at least 50%, my vision was blurry for hours after taking it, I was uncoordinated and constantly bruised from walking into walls and furniture. It did control my absence seizures, but I'm on Lamictal and Klonopin now and much happier."